INTERNATIONAL WORLDWIDE CONTEST/GIVEAWAY

Whenever, I read about contests and giveaways, I find it so difficult to participate because the rules are so ridiculous. For example, make sure you like my facebook page, subscribe to my youtube channel, add me on twitter and Instagram and so forth.
So....this contest wont have any of that. I' m going to make it as easy as possible.

 The Prize :

  

 -Eyeshadows- Creative whim (satin), Drawn to drama (satin), moody (velux pearl)  

-#275 medium Angled Shading brush 

-#212 flat definer brus

- MAC Technakohl pencil in purple dash  

-Mac Mini Zoomblack zoom lash in Rich Black 

Rules: 

- Comment below why you like makeup?

- write the country you reside in 

The contest will take 1 week. The contest will be over on Oct 23rd, 2012. One week from today.  The winner will get shipped the prize wherever they leave. The winner will be randomly picked using a  randomizer program.  Good luck :)

HOW I SHAPE MY EYEBROWS

What I use:

1. Spoolie brush 
2. Two concealers (mac studio fix concealer):
     - I use 1 concealer(nc45) that is 1-2 shades lighter than my skin tone   
     - I also use 1 concealer (nc50) that is the exact  shade as my skin tone. 
3. Maybeline Define-a-brow pencil in dark brown.

4. Angled brush 
5. blending brush (mac 224)

The top picture is how my natural eyebrows look. Obviously, you can tell, I over pluck them just a little too much...lol. Dont judge me...
The bottom picture, is the complete look after they have been groomed and drawn, and then cleaned up with concealer.

 Top picture: Every morning when I do my makeup, I usually run a spoolie brush through them. This makes the hairs fall in one direction. 
Bottom picture:  As you can see, my eyebrows are thin in some places. This is where I usually use the Maybeline "define-a-brow" to fill them in. Using a dark brown pencil, I start tracing the shape of my brows from the inner edge. Don't use black, it makes your brows appear to harsh and unnatural. Always use gentle strokes when tracing the shape of your brows, you don't want to draw a direct line. Follow the shape of your natural brows, while also keeping in mind of the guidelines that were explained in the previous post.

Top Picture: I start off by tracing both the bottom shape of the brows and then the top shape of the brows.
Bottom Picture:  Once the top and bottom shape of the brows have been traced, then I fill in the middle.After your brows are traced and drawn to your liking, you can still see that the bottom picture, still looks "boxy" and very unnatural. It still looks obvious that they are drawn in.

 Top Picture: Using a spoolie, I run them through my brows again. Gently, concentrating more on the inner edge of the brows. You don't want the inner edge of the brows to look too harsh, blend it out a little bit so that it looks more natural and the brown pencil blends in with your natural hairs.
Bottom picture: Using the concealer that is 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone, follow the bottom shape of your brows while using the angled brush. 

Top Picture: Using the concealer that is exactly the same shade as your skin tone, follow the top shape of your brows.
Bottom picture: With a blending brush, I use Mac's 224 brush, but you can use any blending brush that will blend the concealer at the top and the bottom of your brows. The goal is to blend the concealer until it completely blends into your skin, and becomes unnoticeable, very much like the bottom picture. 

The reason why I used a concealer that was 1-2 shades lighter than my skin tone under the brows, is really because I wanted it to highlight the arch of my brows. It really gives a clean edge and shapes your brows perfectly, to the point where it looks like you just got your brows professionally done. 

To be honest, it took me awhile to get my eyebrows perfect to the shape that I like. But with practice, you will perfect your skills. 

Please feel free to ask me any questions, especially if you want me to clarify on some of the steps :) 

BROWS: The Frame of your eyes

The first thing I notice when I meet someone is the shape of their brows. I know...its weird. But I really cant help it. Eye-brows shape your eyes. I personally think that your makeup can be amazing, but if your eyebrows is a hot mess, then that just ruins your whole look.

Even if you dont have natural eyebrows that are "perfect". You can always create the best eyebrows with makeup. You just have to know how to do it. Hopefully, this post will help you "perfect" your natural brows, and create the best shape. Just remember, that it takes alot of trial and error, and practice. Don't be discouraged if both your brows are not identical. Remeber, eyebrows are sisters, not twins! 
So, what exactly is "perfect" eyebrows? I personally think, these ladies have perfectly shaped eyebrows: 

Both their brows start from the outer edge of  their nostril, and slightly end with a low arch and a nice thin tail at the end. It shapes their brows very nicely. Its not too thick and its not too thin. 

I'm almost ashamed of showing this picture, but I have to! Here is an eyebrow shaping DONT!

This picture was taken about 3 years ago, before I had any clue about shaping and grooming eyebrows. My brows in this picture was way too high! It almost looks as if I'm raising my eyebrows, but I promise you I'm not...lol. The other tip is, make sure that the shape of your brows towards your nose is not the same as the tail. The tail should always be slightly thinner than the inner edge of the brow. 

Its always important to get your eyebrows professionally done once a year. This will give you a template as to how your brows should look. Then, its easier to maintain it yourself by regularly plucking the in-grown hair. Be careful not to over-pluck your brows, or else your brows might end up looking like Exhibit A. I'm almost ashamed to say her name:: 

.........or Exhibit B : 

And my personal favorite, Exhibit C: 

Damn...her eyebrows are high! You know what...I cant even make fun  of  her, because I had my own embarrassing moments with my eyebrows.

Shaping and Grooming your eyebrows

 

Rule # 1 :
Work with what you have. If you feel your eyebrows are too bushy, you can always get them professionally done to the size that you want. If you feel, they are too thin, you can always use brow pencils to make the illusion that your eyebrows are thicker than what they really are. Appreciate what you have. Worst case scenario is if you accidentally shaved all your eyebrows off. That's when you should really be worried...
 Rule # 2 : 
A- The inner edge of your eyebrow should correspond with the outer nostril. So, both the outside nostril and the inner edge of your brow should line up together. You DON'T want it to look like this: 
 

Rule # 3: 
B- To determine the highest point of the arch, imagine a line directly corresponding with the outer edge of the eyeball. 
Rule # 4: 
C-To determine the outer brow, imagine a straight line that is drawn directly from the tip of your nose past the outer edge of your eye. 
Now you can finally practice all those geometry lessons that you were taught back in middle school! 

Well shaped eyebrows can really make a difference to the way your face looks. I personally think, your brows is one of the main facial features that can really either enhance or diminish  your appearance. 

So tell me ...how do you feel about eyebrows? Are they important to you? 

 

 

Eyeshadow Bases

Eyeshadow bases and primers are usually jumbled up into one meaning. Its often confused to mean the same thing. Realistically, they can serve the same purpose, but sometimes they don't work the same way.

The purpose of a primer is to smoothly and evenly layer out the eyeshadow by preventing it from creasing and smudging, so that the eyeshadow stays in place for long periods of the day. Some eyeshadow primers should be able to keep your eyelids smudge-free for at least 6-8 hours. They can also intensify the pigmentation and the vibrancy of the eyeshadow, by helping them to be easier to blend. 
Whereas, eyeshadow bases act as a base over the primer to intensify the eyeshadow pigment. However, not all bases can act as primers to prevent the eyeshadow from creasing. Before, I apply eyeshadow, I usually apply both the primer and then the base on top. You can use gel liners, cream eyeshadows, mac paint pots and jumbo pencils as eyeshadow bases. 

Here's a list of my favorite eyeshadow primers: 

 

 Nyx Eyeshadow base and Jumbo pencil

Nyx is my favorite brand and "go-to" product in terms of eyeshadow base. Not only  is it reasonably priced ($5.99), but it usually gets the job done. I usually apply it on top of the primer. It intensifies the eyeshadow color and makes it more vibrant. Once you apply too much of this product on to your lid, you will notice some creasing. The key is to use just a small thin amount of it so it acts as a small barrier between your eyeshadow and the primer. Depending on your lid, you might not even notice any creasing, it really depends on how much oil your lids produce. So, just to be on the safe side, apply a primer before any eyeshadow application.

Maybeline Eyeshadow Tattoo

I absolutely love this product! It can be used alone as a cream eyeshadow or as a base before applying the eyeshadow. It does not crease or fade, and it  really intensifies the pigmentation of the eyeshadow. I can usually get away with this base without a primer. These "eyeshadow tattoos" is said to be comparable to the Mac Paint pots.

Mac Paint Pots

Mac paint pots can be used both as a primer and a base. My personal favorite is the "Painterly Paintpot". It evens out your lid's skin tone; it preps your eyelids before applying eyeshadow and; makes your eyeshadow vibrant. 

MY EYESHADOW STILL CREASES AFTER USING A PRIMER AND A BASE

If you notice that your eyelids are still creasing after applying both a primer and a base, here  is a few suggestions:

• 1. you applied too much eyeshadow base 

• 2. you applied too little eyeshadow base 

• 3.  you could be allergic to the primer

Makeup is really trial and error. Everyone's eyelids is different. We all produce oils differently. The primer that your friend uses might not actually work for you and what you use, might not actually work best on another person. You have to find out what works for you. If you try one primer or base and it doesn't work, then try something else. When you find out what works for you, don't go overboard by applying too much to the point where it looks messy. Be generous with the application. Eventually, you will find the right amount that will work for your eyelids. You want to apply a nice, thin layer so that the eyeshadow doesn't shift and move to the point where it creases completely. 

Hopefully, this post is helpful. If anything needs better clarification, please don't be afraid to ask me a question or post a comment :)

My top 3 Eyeshadow Primers of 2012

Before  I discovered an eyeshadow primer, I would always get discouraged and disappointed when my eyeshadow would crease and smudge on my lids. Its even more discouraging when you've put so much time and energy in creating a look, only to have it erased as if it wasn't there in the first place. This is where eyeshadow primers come into play. An eyeshadow primer is a "must have" in your makeup kit, its a true essential beauty product.

An eyeshadow primer should be applied to the eye lids before applying any eyeshadow. The purpose of a primer is to smoothly and evenly layer out the eyeshadow by preventing it from creasing and smudging, so that the eyeshadow stays in place for long periods of the day. Some eyeshadow primers should be able to keep your eyelids smudge-free for at least 6-8 hours. Some eyeshadow primers can also act as eyeshadow bases, to boost the intensity and vibrancy of the eyeshadow primers.

Keep in mind, that make-up is trial and error. Some primers may not work as best for you as it can, on the next person. You have to find which product works for you and stick to it.

Lets look at my top 3 pick of 2012: 

3. Too-faced Shadow Insurance

Too-faced eyeshadow insurance can be found at your nearest Sephora. It retails for $18. When, I tried this primer, it did keep my eyeshadow put for 4 hours, after 4 hours, I noticed some minor creasing, but not too noticeable. The only reason, its number # 3 on this list, is because as a primer, it didn't cover up any discoloration on my lids  and I noticed that it prevented some of the  eyeshadow from blending well. 

​2. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Urban Decay's primer potion was actually the first primer I've ever tried. It did everything it promised it would do. My eyeshadow didn't crease or smudge! When I did my research online, it was all I read about. It's bragged to be one of the best in the market, and for a product that goes for $18, you cant go wrong.

The only issue that I found with this primer, was that, eyeshadow were hard to blend. It just wasn't my favorite .  I was determined to find a primer that not only kept my eyeshadow from creasing but also made it easier to blend.

...and now, the moment we've all been waiting for!  My number 1 eyeshadow primer of 2012 ....

*drum roll*

1. NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Wow...where do I start?! This primer is my best friend! BFF for life! Even though it is pretty pricey, its a good investment. It retails at Sephora for $30. I know...I know, you can buy a shirt for that price. But I promise you it works! Not only was my eyeshadow easier to blend, but it kept it smudge proof and crease-less for hours. The most I used it for was for 10 hours in one day, and my eyeshadow still looked the same.It tried quickly on my lids and acted as a barrier between my skin and the eyeshadow. I love everything about this prime! I've been using it for years now and I doubt I will ever replace it with another brand. 

Once you discover which primer works for you, you wont have to search no more. Now you can create a look without wondering if it will still appear on your lid after 2 hours or more.